Gallerys - Ukraine - Animals at war

Fates in pictures

These galleries aim to show that the country's animals are also affected by the war and how animal welfare is working for them despite the great difficulties and acute danger.

Operation in Orkiv
Animal fates

Operation in Orkhiv

Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia Oblast used to have 14,000 inhabitants. Today, only about 500 elderly people live in the destroyed town near the front line. They did not want to be evacuated and wanted to stay in the place where they had spent their whole lives. They would have had to leave behind their own pets and orphaned animals that had come to them. When the Domivka animal shelter was informed that the situation was getting worse, a team of six drove three vans and two tons of food over a distance of more than 1000 km to the front line to bring animals that could no longer be cared for to safety. With the help of the local Ukrainian army, 23 cats and 17 dogs were caught. The food that had been brought was given to the remaining inhabitants of Orikhiv.

The Domivka team in Orikhiv: Nazariy, Ivanna, Vitaliy, Marta, Orest and Maksym.

During their mission, the Domivka team was alerted to a herd of goats that could no longer be allowed on the mined pastures and had to be accommodated in a cellar.

During their mission, the Domivka team was alerted to a herd of goats that could no longer be allowed on the mined pastures and had to be accommodated in a cellar. Since there was still enough space available, 19 goats could also be brought to safety in Lviv.

Animal fates

Tim, found in Toresk and evacuated with the local residents.

Found by soldiers in a bombed-out house.

Amur, came to the shelter because his owner was drafted into the army. He was lucky; we found a new home for him.

Rescued by soldiers from a burning barn in Saporischschia. They named him Hans.

Was picked up emaciated and ill on the road near Vysokohirne. Is now recovering in the animal shelter.

Mother dog with her puppies. Found in the cellar of a ruin in the destroyed city of Pokrovsk.

He was in shock and ill. The military found him somewhere on the front line and brought him to the shelter. He is now recovering there and is slowly finding joy in life again.

An injured domestic cat was found and brought to the Domivka animal shelter. As it turned out there, the cat had suffered severe head injuries, among other things. It therefore had to be taken to the specialized MERLION animal hospital, where it was successfully operated on.

After a two-week stay in hospital, "Naida" – as she has since been named – was brought back to the shelter for further care.

Bruna, her owners were killed in a rocket attack in Konstantynivka.

The original pictures for this documentary were provided by the animal shelters DOMIVKA Lviv, SOS Kiev and SIRIUS Fedorivka. Photos from the frontline areas were taken with the permission and in cooperation with the Ukrainian army.